TADA court sentenced 12 Sikhs to undergo 10 years in 1987 PNB case

Ludhiana/Punjab (November 20, 2012): According to information available with Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) a TADA designated court of Sunil Kumar Arora, Additional Sessions Judge (Ludhaina) has sentenced 12 Sikhs to undergo ten years imprisonment in a bank robbery case under Terrorist and

S. Harbhajan Singh (83) VPO Sarih, Jalandhar

Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act. It took more than 25 years for the trial to conclude in this case.

The incident dates back to 1987. On February 12, 1987 a Ludhiana branch of Punjab National Bank was robbed. Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act was attached with the charge in this case.

VPO Wadala Mahi, Hoshiarpur; Maan Singh (68) Bhagwan Nagar, Ludhiana are all sentenced to 10 years under under the provisions of TADA, along with other sentences under Sections 120B, 342, 395, 397, 506 of IPC and Sections 3(2), 3(3), 4(2) TADA.

While talking to the reporters defense councils Advocate Puran Singh Hundal, Advocate Gurmeet Singh Rattu and Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur said that the court has failed to appreciate the defense arguments and take flaws of prosecution case in to consideration.

“It’s too harsh decision. Sentencing all persons under TADA, including who are charged just with the recovery of cash is not justifiable in any consideration.” said Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur.

CBI’s counsel Advocate Sexena welcomed the order and sentence awarded by the TADA Court.

Commenting on the decision, Bhai Harpal Singh Cheema, Acting President of Akali Dal Panch Pardhani and Bhai Mandhir Singh, Secretary General of ADPP said that it’s a decision pronounced on political consideration. The persons have been sentenced due to their political ideology favouring self-determination for the Sikhs.

Bhai Harpal Singh Cheema said that this decision has revealed that there is no justice for Sikhs in India and it’s a sign of slavery.

“Such a harsh sentence has been pronounced to create fear psychosis among the Sikh political activists”, he added.

“Sentence of 10 years to the persons in their 90s is an atrocity on the name of justice” Mandhir Singh added.